Happiness is a finished quilt!

I had started out in the new year choosing my “Word of the Year” as Flourish! Well, I have been flourishing but falling down in my blogging! Hoping the second half of the year will be better.

I began training in the late winter for the Hook Half Marathon on April 17th in Congers, NY. This race begins running around Rockland Lake and then over Hook Mountain with a 3 mile run along the majestic Hudson River and then back over the mountain and around the lake to the finish line. My daughter, Deven, joined me. It was a glorious day – sunny and mild – perfect for running! I had a PR of 2:20:25, that’s 10:43 min/mile! I shaved off 9 minutes! Not too bad!

Now My husband, Michael, and I are training for the Newport 10 Miler in 9 days on June 5th. Hoping for good weather!

As for quilting, I’ve been happily sewing and quilting away! Here’s one of the quilts I finished this spring. My first “modern” quilting attempt. I like it! What do you think?

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s been a busy week with lots accomplished! I’ve been quilting away and running my heart out! Training for what will be my second half marathon in April, I ran a total of 21 miles this week. Phew! It’s getting much easier and I feel stronger with every run.

In my quilting life, I’ve been dabbling with an app I had heard about called Moka Hanga which takes your photos and creates a wood block image. Somewhere on social media, I heard it was a good app to use to break down a photo to help create piecing when making an art quilt. I tried a few photos I have been thinking about making into a quilt. It is pretty interesting. What do you think? I’ll keep you posted on my progress as this is one of my creative goals for this year.

I also joined (along with so many in the quilt world), The Splendid Sampler. I am using a combination of New York fabrics from the City Quilter and Inked fat quarters by Lynn Krawzyck (which I purchased some time ago from Spool Quilts). I finished the first block they are calling “Hearts Aflutter.” I plan on calling this quilt, “New York Values,” as I am a born and raised New Yorker and took great offense to Ted Cruz when he made that comment. New Yorkers are the most compassionate, caring, creative, resilient, open and diverse group of people I know and am proud to embrace “NY Values.” Keep on stitching and running, my friends!

A few years ago, my friend, Michele Phillips, gave me the idea to create a vision board. Michele is an author, life coach and motivational speaker. She was working on her first book, Happiness is a Habit. She told me about how she made a vision board of pictures of things and phrases to inspire and remind her of her goals and dreams. Michele spoke of other visually motivating tools such as a picture of the New York Times Best Sellers list where she wrote her name and book title on the list! Fun and inspiring! I thought it was an awesome idea – a picture book of one’s written goals plus a little enthusiasm. I have created a vision board for myself the past two years. Here’s my 2016 board:

It will hang in my sewing studio so I can look at it daily. A closer look will reveal that I am hoping to compete in a few races -the Newport 10 Miler and the Hook Half Marathon as well as improving my overall level of fitness. I’m hoping to get a few more hikes in this year. Caring for my mother in law as well as having a teenager to transport has limited our ability to take extended periods of time to take long hikes but Mike and I have promised each other to carve out more time for that. We hope to hike Mt. Khatadin in Maine. I’ve got my eye on upgrading my long arm to an Avante and hopefully a new ribbon or two from quilt shows! I even add more pictures and update it as the year goes on. Changing, just like me! Do you create goals for yourself? Check out Michele’s website or her book for a few videos and tips on creating good habits to help you achieve your own personal goals. Make your dreams come true!

Well, I definitely have made a fresh start for February. I’ve been working away on my Night Sky quilt. I love how the quilting is turning out. It’s time consuming but will be worth it. What do you think?

Besides my quilting, I’ve started on my training schedule for the Hook Half Marathon and half way through my second week. The weather has been so warm. I took these pictures at the start of the week. The past few days have been in the 50’s and today it rained so the snow is just about gone. It’s been wonderful to be running in the outdoors in February in New York! What a treat!

Well, 2016 did not start out quite like I planned. I learned New Year’s Day that one of my dearest friends, Debbie Lee Monteverde, had been hospitalized with liver cancer and it sent my world reeling for a few weeks. I met Debbie when she and her mom, Marilyn, took a class at my quilt shop back in 2004. We became fast friends and remained so long after I had closed my shop. Debbie was loud, swore more than anyone I ever knew but had the biggest, most generous heart of anyone. And funny! Boy, could she tell a story! She always left you in stitches! Unfortunately, Debbie lost her battle two weeks later. I am grateful her husband contacted me and I was able to spend two wonderful afternoons with her and I spoke with her by phone the evening before she passed. I miss her terribly and I will forever hear her voice in my head calling me “Poopie” (her favorite nickname) and will smile every time I sit down at my sewing machine.

So as any quilter would do after a loss, I have turned to my sewing and quilting for comfort. I finished a few gifts for two of my quilting BFFs and began quilting my Night Sky quilt that is for my step son, Max. Plus, I am cooking up another project. A Millefiori quilt! Have you seen one? Its a quilt that looks like that beautiful Italian glass! It’s a bit of a change for me as it is fussy cutting and hand piecing. But hey! Everybody needs one slow stitching project, right? Isn’t the quilt on the cover of the book gorgeous???

In addition to feeding my creative self, I’ve embarked on a training program for the Hook Half Marathon in Congers, NY in April. One week down already and 11 to go! Felt good on my long run of 4 miles yesterday and without any soreness today. Looking forward to participating in a few races and triathlons this year – so stay tuned!!

Happy New Year! My word for the year 2016 is Flourish. It’ s definition is to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment. I have grown so much in the past few years thanks to such a wonderful support system in my life and as a result I have felt I have begun to Flourish and hope to expand my growth and experiences in 2016. Mike and I have already made plans to run the Newport 10 Miler in June and I plan to run The Hook Half in April. My buddy, Jane and I are planning on the JerseyGirl Triathlon in August. That would be my first ocean swimming open water race! A big fear to conquer!

Creatively, I have several quilt tops I want to complete and a few quilts in pieces that I want to finish piecing together. I hope to expand my attempts of using mixed media in my quilting and actually put down in fabric the few modern quilt designs I have brewing in my head.

I plan to continue to surround myself with my favorite sewing buddies, my Zeeps and continue to be inspired by those who touch my life whether its for a moment or a lifetime.

I have had difficulty getting motivated this holiday season…the warm weather and having two friends grieving over lost children had put a damper on my spirits. But I have been blessed with a wonderful group of women who I met through my fitness studio, ZLifestyle, owned by Pauline Henriques. These ladies whom I affectionately call my “Zeeps,” inspire me everyday with their motivation and perseverance. They have all had struggles, yet are willing to share their experience and wisdom. They boost my spirits daily. They jump started my holiday mojo last night with a great holiday party hosted by Zeep, Jane. It really got me going and Mike and I got all the decorations out today! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Here’s my Zeeps minus Jane taking the photo!

And here’s a preview of a few holiday decorations. A favorite quilt (LOVE these Laurel Birch fabrics!), our tree awaiting its decorations and a table runner and cross stitch Santa I had made for my Grandmother when I was a teenager.